He Took Her To The Lake We Promised To See Together Chapter 05

He Took Her To The Lake We Promised To See Together Chapter 05

Ethan stared at the email saying I’d left the studio, his expression darkening by the second.

Mason leaned over to read it, then laughed.

“First she quits the studio, then she leaves her key behind. She’s obviously making a whole thing out of this just to get you to chase after her.”

Sophie spoke softly.

“But Emma took her suitcase too. What if she’s really leaving?”

“She’s not.”

Ethan answered without the slightest hesitation.

“She planned this trip for four years. There’s no way she’d just walk out.”

For four years, whether he’d forgotten an anniversary or ditched me at the last minute to be with Sophie, I’d always been the one to give in first.

He’d gotten used to me backing down. That was why he was so sure I’d come back this time too.

Then he pulled out his phone and sent me a string of messages.

Ethan: [Where are you?]

Ethan: [You quit the studio just to make me come after you? Seriously?]

Ethan: [Come back by tomorrow morning, and I’ll let this go.]

The messages went through. Some of the tension left Ethan’s face.

At least I hadn’t blocked him.

Mason clapped him on the shoulder.

“Don’t go after her. If you cave this time, she’ll just pull bigger stunts later.”

Sophie bit her lip.

“Emma’s angry right now. She won’t listen to anything you say.”

Ethan put his phone away.

“Then let her cool off on her own.”

“Once she realizes nobody’s coming after her, she’ll come back on her own.”

He slipped one of our matching watches into his pocket and tossed the travel journal into his

suitcase.

As far as he was concerned, I’d only left the hotel early and gone somewhere else to wait for him to

come apologize.

After all, I’d told him I was disappointed countless times over the years, but I’d never actually left.

What he didn’t know was that I was already on an overnight flight out of Boston.

Boston’s lights receded beneath the plane as his messages kept lighting up my phone.

The last one read:

Ethan: [Emma Parker, come back when you’re done with this.]

I looked at it once, then locked my phone.

He still thought I would go back.

I wouldn’t. Not this time.

I would never stand beside him to light that tree again.